[This ZDNet story describes successful heart surgeries performed via robot from 20 miles away, a milestone accomplishment in telemedicine and telesurgery. For more information see the press release via Business Wire and the article in The Lancet’s EClinicalMedicine; for more on the positive impact of telemedicine see “In the coalfields, telemedicine provides antidote to doctor shortages, poor health” in The Roanoke Times. –Matthew]

[Image: Figure 1C from the EClinicalMedicine article shows the surgeon controlling the remotely located Corindus robot.]

First long-distance heart surgery performed via robot

In a feat of networking, engineering, and medicine, a doctor performed a heart procedure while standing 20 miles from his patient.

By Greg Nichols for Robotics
September 5, 2019

A doctor in India has performed a series of five percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures on patients who were 20 miles away from him.… read more. “Telemedicine milestone: First long-distance heart surgery performed via robot”

[This story from Brink describes an innovative use of virtual reality and presence to observe experienced offenders as they commit burglaries to better understand and thereby prevent future real-world crimes. For more information, see the Virtual Burglary Project on ResearchGate. –Matthew]

[Image: Source: Semantic Scholar]

Virtual Reality to Observe Crimes As They Unfold. Here’s How

September 5, 2019
Claire Nee, Director of International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology

Ordinary citizens worry a lot about community safety. In particular, surveys and research suggest that residential burglary is one of the most feared crimes internationally.

Until recently, when trying to understand how offenders appraise environments and choose vulnerable targets, researchers have been restricted to interviewing them or using rudimentary visual aids such as maps and slides to jog their memories. However, we know from decades of research that recalling what happened even in the recent past is subject to considerable flaws and inaccuracies — even in the most amenable research participant.… read more. “Presence and crime prevention: Using VR to observe burglaries as they unfold”

[A new 5:50 minute film features Hanson Robotics robot Sophia interacting with actress Evan Rachel Wood, who plays robot Dolores in HBO’s Westworld. I’ll refrain from playing reviewer, but stay tuned for after-the-credits feature “Questioning Reality with Evan and Sophia.” CNET’s coverage includes this:

“SophiaWorld manages to plunge us through almost as many layers of existence as an actual Westworld episode. It’s the perfect way to pass the time while waiting for season 3 to arrive in 2020. Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? After you watch SophiaWorld, the answer will be yes.”

The story below is from The Hollywood Reporter; watch the film there or on the Futurism website. The press release is available from Globe Newswire. –Matthew]

[Image: Source: #sophiaworld Instagram Posts]

‘Westworld’ Star Evan Rachel Wood Meets Real-Life Robot in ‘SophiaWorld’ Short

The actor, known for playing Dolores on the HBO hit, has a chance encounter with Sophia.… read more. “‘Westworld’ star Evan Rachel Wood meets real-life robot in ‘SophiaWorld’ short”

[It’s not hard to imagine that near-future refined technologies that evoke greater presence among users will create more frequent and more severe versions of the problems discussed in this Refinery29 story. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Eylul Aslan]

“I Worried To The Point Of Obsession” – How Virtual Beauty Apps Prey On Insecurities

Anna Behrmann
3 September 2019

I can change my lipstick from bright pink to intense red in a fraction of a second. I can try on a ‘Vegas’ look from a virtual makeup artist complete with false lashes, four different shades of perfectly blended eyeshadow, heavily defined eyebrows and magically contoured skin. While these looks aren’t really ‘me’, I appear transformed (if a little artificial) as I stare at myself via an app on my phone. I play with different versions of myself over and over again until I become mesmerised.… read more. “How virtual beauty apps prey on insecurities”

[The telepresence robot described in this story from Tom’s Hardware is designed to mimic human interaction for parents and children. The original story includes two more pictures and some of the robot’s technical specifications; see the Indiegogo page for much more information. –Matthew]

Hug Your Kid When You’re Out of Town With the Cushybot One Telepresence Robot

by Brittany Vincent
August 27, 2019

For children with long-distance parents, things can get a little lonely. Home robotics company Cushybots wants to change this with a new telepresence robot, the Cushybot One, launching today on Indiegogo.

The Cushybot One is an adorable robot kids can snuggle and hug while parents control it from afar to interact with their kids. It’s meant to help simulate a parent’s loving embrace, as if the parent were right in the room instead of across the country or even across the globe.… read more. “Hug your kid when you’re out of town with the Cushybot One telepresence robot”